Hyderabad: As many as 42 cadres of CPI (Maoist), including People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) Battalion Commander Sodi Malla alias Keshal, surrendered before Telangana Police on Friday, along with 36 firearms and 800 grams of gold.
The Maoists who surrendered before Director General of Police (DGP) B. Shivdhar Reddy include 21 cadres of PLGA, 11 cadres of Telangana State Committee (TSC) and 10 cadres of Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC).
Barring an Area Committee Member of TSC, all the Maoists belonged to Chhattisgarh.
PLGA Battalion in charge and DKSZC member Sodi Malla alias Keshal alias Nikhil, State Committee Member, Jayashankar, Mahabubabad, Warangal, and Peddapalli Division Committee (JMMWP DVC) Secretary Chapa Narayana alias Gajendar alias Madhu and DVCM Kadthi Sannu alias Manthu are among the key cadres who surrendered.
The DGP stated that among the three “magic weapons” of the CPI (Maoist), the most crucial, the PLGA completely neutralised through these surrenders.
“After the surrender of all the leaders of the TSC, the remaining TSC cadre has now been neutralised, and the Telangana State Committee of CPI (Maoist) no longer exists,” the DGP said and declared that Telangana is now totally free from the armed formations of CPI (Maoist).
As part of the surrender process, the cadres handed over 36 firearms, 1,007 rounds of live ammunition of various calibres, 02 country-made grenades, and eight gold biscuits of 100 grams each.
The surrendered firearms comprise five AK-47 rifles, four SLR rifles, three INSAS rifles, six .303 rifles, one 9mm Sten gun, two 8 mm rifles, 10 single-shot guns, one 9 mm Pistol, two revolvers, one BGL gun and one Air gun.
As per the Telangana government’s rehabilitation policy, SCM will get Rs 20 lakh each, DVCM / CyPCM Rs 5 lakh each, ACM / PPCM Rs 4 lakh and Party Member (PM) Rs 1 lakh each.
As per MHA guidelines, incentives are admissible for the surrender of arms. For Friday’s surrender of 42 underground CPI (Maoist) cadres along with weapons, the total eligible reward amount of Rs 1.93 crore will be disbursed among them.
The eligible reward amount for the cadre native of Telangana (Kunjam Idumal alias Mahendar, ACM), Rs 4 lakh, has now been disbursed to him through Demand Draft/Cheque.
For the remaining 41 cadres, natives of Chhattisgarh state, an interim relief of Rs 25,000 each has now been handed. The balance amount will be disbursed after completion of documentation and opening of bank accounts.
The DGP commended the dedicated and coordinated efforts of the Special Intelligence Branch. Their sustained and professional efforts have successfully led to the surrender of Maoist cadres.
The surrender of 761 cadres before Telangana Police and recovery of 302 firearms since 2024 underscore the steady decline and total collapse of the organisation, Shivdhar Reddy said.
According to him, only five active underground cadres from Telangana remain in various formations across the country outside Telangana. They are all operating in other States, including Chhattisgarh. Two among them are Central Committee Members of CPI (Maoist).
He said that, through nomination, Central Committee Member, Muppala Laxman Rao alias Ganapathi, has been away from active CPI (Maoist) activity since 2007. He is the only significant cadre left from Telangana.
The police chief appealed to all five cadres to lay down their armed struggle and join the mainstream, and also obtain the benefits of the Telangana government’s policy of surrender and rehabilitation.
(IANS)
